Prioritize, Strengthen Nutrition Services – Stakeholders Task LG Executives in Kaduna

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna 

Local government executives in Kaduna State have been charged to prioritize and strengthen nutrition service delivery at the grassroots level to tackle malnutrition and improve the health of women and children across the state.

This call was made during a high-level stakeholders’ engagement with local government executives, held under the theme “Strengthening Local-Level Coordination for Effective Resource Mobilization on Nutrition Service Delivery,” organized by the Kaduna State Emergency Nutrition Action Plan (KADENAP) in collaboration with UNICEF.

Representing Dr. Gerida Birukila, Chief of UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, Mrs. Chinwe Ezeife, a Nutrition Specialist, expressed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting Kaduna State in its nutrition agenda.

She explained that UNICEF is dedicated to protecting children’s rights, including their right to health and nutrition, and called for greater involvement of local government leaders to ensure that nutrition and other primary healthcare services reach the most vulnerable.

“This meeting is an opportunity for us to share ideas and discuss how to advance the nutrition agenda, as well as other primary healthcare services, within our local contexts,” Ezeife said.

She emphasized the need for community-based solutions, integration of water, sanitation, hygiene, and social behavior change communication to promote good practices in nutrition and health.

Mrs. Ezeife also appealed to chairmen to support efforts in expanding services, including providing outreach days to transport women and children to health facilities for essential services.

“By putting in place additional services such as special outreach days, local governments can significantly improve access to primary healthcare and nutrition services,” she said.

Earlier in his welcome address, Hon. Salasu Musa, Chairman of Chikun Local Government Area who spoke on behalf of the Zone 2 LGAs Chairmen, emphasized the importance of nutrition in building a healthy and productive society.

“Good nutrition is fundamental to the wellbeing of our people. When our communities, especially our children, receive the right nutrition at the right age, we lay the foundation for a healthy and productive society,” he stated.

While reacting to a presentation on the situation of Nutrition in Kaduna State, Chairman of Kaduna North Local Government Area, Muhammad Gambo, shared a personal story highlighting the economic barriers families face in accessing adequate nutrition.

“I met with a family with twins who were visibly frustrated. The mother had not been receiving adequate nutrition and didn’t even realize the severity of the problem.

“They were advised to buy formula milk costing about ₦10,000, which would only last for three months an amount the family could not afford,” Gambo recounted.

Gambo stressed the need for targeted support to the most vulnerable families to tackle malnutrition effectively.

“If we can focus on providing access to nutritious food and support to these families, it would greatly help in reducing malnutrition in our communities,” he noted.

The lead facilitator, Dr. Zainab Muhammad-Idris,, said the Nutrition 774 framework, designed to coordinate and harmonize nutrition interventions such as ANRIN 2.0 and Project HOPE under a single umbrella.

She explained that Nutrition 774 is built on several pillars: improving coordination, ensuring data and accountability for resources, mobilizing financial resources, prioritizing nutrition, and scaling up implementation.

“Local governments are expected to own this process. That’s why it’s called Nutrition 774 to involve all 774 LGAs across Nigeria. Local solutions must be found at that level,” Dr. Zainab said.

She stressed that local leaders must be at the forefront of driving nutrition initiatives, providing resources, and using data to improve decision-making and change the narrative around nutrition.

The facilitator cited recent data showing progress in Kaduna State, saying “Between 2018 and 2023–2024, stunting reduced by 7.1 percentage points from 48.1% to about 40%. Severe wasting also saw a slight decrease of about 2–3 points.”

However, she noted that moderate wasting and underweight cases have increased, indicating that significant challenges remain.

“Because of these deteriorating indices, much still needs to be done. That’s why strategies like Nutrition 774 are essential to help us address these challenges,” she added.

The engagement called for renewed commitment from local government executives to improve nutrition funding, strengthen local committees, and support the establishment of a Child Nutrition Fund for long-term impact.